[Kons]

*deleted*

 

[amartignano]

Here I am new to the L300 family, and very happy so far. I had Lambda Nova Signature and Sennheiser Baby Orpheus in the past, but I must admit that this Stax SRS3100 combo is blowing my away with its "real" musicality. Totally impressed.

 

[tayano]

Here I am new to the L300 family, and very happy so far. I had Lambda Nova Signature and Sennheiser Baby Orpheus in the past, but I must admit that this Stax SRS3100 combo is blowing my away with its "real" musicality. Totally impressed.

How do they compare to Hd800s and HD660S?

 

[amartignano]

How do they compare to Hd800s and HD660S?

Electrostats are on another league compared to dynamic headphones, it's clear even with this "little" system. They're not better in all aspects, but the approach is different and the low level detail/music retrieval abilities are better, the feeling of "physical transparency" is better.
Of the dynamic headphones I have, only the Hd800S can compare to the L300, for transparency and lack of resonances/colorations. The 660S sounds warmer but also more confused in comparison to the L300. And maybe the srs3100 system can sound a bit bass shy in comparison. But it's somewhat difficult to compare.

 

[cjeong]

Can someone please give me the physical dimensions of this headphone?

 

[tayano]

Electrostats are on another league compared to dynamic headphones, it's clear even with this "little" system. They're not better in all aspects, but the approach is different and the low level detail/music retrieval abilities are better, the feeling of "physical transparency" is better.
Of the dynamic headphones I have, only the Hd800S can compare to the L300, for transparency and lack of resonances/colorations. The 660S sounds warmer but also more confused in comparison to the L300. And maybe the srs3100 system can sound a bit bass shy in comparison. But it's somewhat difficult to compare.

So the only thingy HD800s does better that the Stax is probably the soundstage?

 

[amartignano]

So the only thingy HD800s does better that the Stax is probably the soundstage?

The hd800S is more gentle and distant sounding, and the wider soundstage comes with other things (more "concert hall" feeling for example). There is also a midbass hump in the 800S absent in the L300, although I hear the L300 more "punchy" down low.
It's the feeling of lack of coloration in the electrostats that makes the difference imho. Even with the hd800S, in direct comparison I hear some "weird" sound here and there compared to the L300, like the housing was sounding in some way (although less than other dynamic headphones).
The Stax electrostats are dangerous things

 

[tayano]

The hd800S is more gentle and distant sounding, and the wider soundstage comes with other things (more "concert hall" feeling for example). There is also a midbass hump in the 800S absent in the L300, although I hear the L300 more "punchy" down low.
It's the feeling of lack of coloration in the electrostats that makes the difference imho. Even with the hd800S, in direct comparison I hear some "weird" sound here and there compared to the L300, like the housing was sounding in some way (although a less than other dynamic headphones).
The Stax electrostats are dangerous things

Yes, it’s sure a dangerous route . I’ve a colleuge at work that has both 007 & 009 so I would be too surprised if I end up there in a couple of years if I like the Stax sounds. He seems too favorable of electrostatic sound and makes his amps.

Will the L300 be better if you have a better amp then the one included? I read that amps makes a bigger impact on stats.

 

[tayano]

@amartignano: Where you able to listen to them before you bought them? There’s no way to audition it here and I’ll probably need to order it from eBay.

 

[amartignano]

@amartignano: Where you able to listen to them before you bought them? There’s no way to audition it here and I’ll probably need to order it from eBay.

I was not able to listen to the system, I only read opinions and listened to zreview sound demo on YouTube (which was for me quite useful compared to the same demo for 800S).
Yes I do believe amp upgrade can make the difference, although I'm more a headphone upgrade guy
Oh, and I see myself with a Sr007 in the future...

 

[givemetacos]

Just got in a used L300 today and listening to it tonight... man does it rock out compared to the ESP950! Using usb out from my laptop to Gustard X20U -> Schiit Loki -> NAD C275BEE stereo amp -> Mjolnir SRD-7 transformer -> L300. The awesome BASS presented is having me question my modded TH-X00PH... such PUNCH, extension, dynamic sound and detail coming from the L300... bass sounds full bodied and highly articulate at the same time....much beyond what the STAX SRM-323S can coax out of it. The mids and highs are spectacular as well... I just don't want to stop listening to it (even though the comfort really SUCKS compared to the ESP950)!

Do you find your SRD-7 setup to be a huge upgrade from 323S? Like not just a subtle thing? Also, have you heard a 252S? I'm wondering how much more source upgrades would help the L300 over the 252S I have.

 

[Hi-Fi-Apricity]

Hello I have a SR L300 Limited on order. If I am to assume it'll sound like the love child between the L300 and L700 sound, would the KGSSHV (cheap version) from Mjolnir be a good choice? I plan to go a little out there amp wise compared to most people for this setup because down the line I plan to get myself an SR007 or SR009. Or hell say in that time Stax makes something that I would be interested in atleast I will most likely have a powerful amp for it. If it matters to anyone I plan to pair it using balanecd out from an NFB 1.38

 

[VRacer-111]

Do you find your SRD-7 setup to be a huge upgrade from 323S? Like not just a subtle thing? Also, have you heard a 252S? I'm wondering how much more source upgrades would help the L300 over the 252S I have.

I'll get back to you on that soon, been listening pretty much exclusively to the SRD-7 since getting the L300, will switch back to the SRM-323S when I get some time in the next few days.

 

[givemetacos]

I'll get back to you on that soon, been listening pretty much exclusively to the SRD-7 since getting the L300, will switch back to the SRM-323S when I get some time in the next few days.

Great, thanks!

There seems to be so much conflicting impressions (as with everything in this hobby) about whether or not L300/500/700 (and probably L300L) scale or change much with different amps. The nervosa of the unknown got the best of me. I ended up scoring a sweet deal on a SR-404 with SRM-006t tube amp. I mostly just wanted to try that amp out and see what Lambdas sound like on tubes. Once I receive that setup I am going to meet up with my buddy who has the L500, L700, and 353X, and I'll bring my L300/252S plus the 404/006t and we will test out every combination of headphones and amps to see how each change and which combos seem to be the best. I'll report my findings here as well as the other related threads. Hopefully that will settle for me whether or not to make the jump to L300L or a used L700 and which source would be the best.

 

[VRacer-111]

Great, thanks!

There seems to be so much conflicting impressions (as with everything in this hobby) about whether or not L300/500/700 (and probably L300L) scale or change much with different amps. The nervosa of the unknown got the best of me. I ended up scoring a sweet deal on a SR-404 with SRM-006t tube amp. I mostly just wanted to try that amp out and see what Lambdas sound like on tubes. Once I receive that setup I am going to meet up with my buddy who has the L500, L700, and 353X, and I'll bring my L300/252S plus the 404/006t and we will test out every combination of headphones and amps to see how each change and which combos seem to be the best. I'll report my findings here as well as the other related threads. Hopefully that will settle for me whether or not to make the jump to L300L or a used L700 and which source would be the best.

Ok, here's my impression...keep in mind I've been listening to the new setup constantly for about a week every night, and just now reconfigured back to the SRM-323S with the system off overnight other than DAC (which I leave on) let it play for the entire album off head to warm up, put on the L300 and went back to the begining of the album and played the first 3 songs to get a feel for the SRM-323S, then played song 6 while fully concentrating on listening. Then powered down the SRM-323S, reconfigured back, powered up, let it play the first 3 songs off head, then put on the L300 and played song 6 while fully concentrating on listening.

I will say noticed a difference right off the bat when first listening to the SRM-323S after exclusively using the C275BEE/Mjolnir SRD-7... seemed not as detailed, but how much was not sure. Sound also seemed more recorded, but bass seemed good. When swapped back to the C275BEE/Mjolnir SRD-7 setup and listening to it again after the SRM-323S, the differences seemed more apparent... definitely seems like a good bit of microdetail increase (string harmonics - sustain & intonation, better finger on string details, clearer detail and finesse in a quick double note hit) background/echo detail also enhanced, definitely was a more live/realistic sound, and the bass seems more dynamic, solid, and punchy.

I definitely do hear a noticeable improvement with the new setup... but it would be easier to quantify how much of a difference if I had a second L300 and a clean way to run both simultaneously off the DAC...if I use the loop out of the SRM-323S the downstream amp is affected some - it does slightly smooth out the sound and also seem to reduce the dynamics just a tad (which was fine for my TH-X00PH dynamic rig, but is not fine going to another Estat rig, especially one that seems to be of better sound quality). I will say the NAD C275BEE is probably the main factor in the sound difference, it's a phenominal 'affordable' amp known for its detail and bass. I picked mine up factory refurbished for a little over $800 from an authorized dealer a few years back when a vintage used NAD 2200PE I had started going out.

P.S. And boy does everything get better with more runtime in a session....yeah about 2 hours in is when the sound really starts getting GOOOD....